Uralica
Typography Official Names *English - Tribal State of Uralica *Finnish - Heimovaltio Uralikan *Russian - Племенной Государственный Уралики *(More to be added as linguistic database grows) Official Short Names *English - Uralica *Finnish - Uralikka *Russian - Уралика *(More to be added as linguistic database grows) Demonyms *English - n. "Uralican(s)"; adj. "Uralican" *Finnish - sing. n./adj. "Uralikkalainen", pl. n. "Uralikkalaiset" (note: not to be confused with "uralilainen" which refers to the Uralic ethnolinguistic group on the whole, as opposed to citizens of Uralica) *Russian - n. "Ураличец"/"Ураличцы" (masc.) "Ураличка"/ "Уралички" (fem.), "; adj. "Ураликский" (masc. nom. form shown) *(More to be added as linguistic database grows) Declension Finnish First syllable always stressed, unlike in English/Russian. Note: no forms for Comitative or Instructive cases. Russian Second syllable always stressed. About Uralica Uralica is a nation from the Ural-Volga region of what was once Russia, and is a proud member of The Order of Light. Its capital is Syktyvkar and its currency is the Kanadalainen. It was originally founded on 18 March 2008, but its constitution was suspended 19 September 2008 because of external forces. However, the return of Jarkko Salomäki to Syktyvkar on 22 December 2008 marked a new beginning for the nation, within The Order of Light. The People With the present existence of Finland, Estonia, and Hungary, and the growing impingement of external societies upon the remainder of the Uralic peoples, Jarkko Salomäki, an ethnic Finn from Canada, began gathering together other members of the Uralic-speaking nationalities into a neo-tribal society, based on the principles of Christianity and commonalities in Uralic culture. This culminated in the foundation of Uralica, and it joined the Christian Coalition of Countries, an alliance its leader (then known as) KingJarkko agreed to join only some 24 hours after its official declaration of nationhood on 18 March 2008. The Christian leanings attracted the remnants of Mennonite societies in Russia as well. What resulted was a nation of astounding linguistic and racial diversity, united by a the common cause of a Christian life free from the shackles of any imperialistic influences. The people of Uralica take pride in their education. Their first university was called Uralikan Yliopisto and is well-known for its wide selection of courses and fields of study. In a recent survey it was the top-rated religious-oriented university on Planet Bob and in the top 500 universities overall. Language It is infamous for the fact that there are more official languages in this nation than in any other on Planet Bob (32, to be exact), however the people tend to use Finnish, Russian or even English when communicating between ethnic groups and in business. Still, in theory, Uralic languages as well as English, Russian, and the historic language of the Mennonites, Plautdietsch, ought all to have official status. Unfortunately, some languages (and even peoples) in the Uralic family are either extinct or close enough to it that this becomes impractical. In practice, the current official languages are as follows: Finnish, English, Russian, Plautdietsch, Hungarian, Kven, Tornedalen Finnish (Meänkieli), Karelian, Estonian, Võro, Livvi, Ludian, Veps, Komi, Permyak, Udmurt, East Mari, West Mari, Khanty, Mansi, Moksha, Erzya, Nenets, Nganasan, Selkup, Kildin Saami (Saam), Inari Saami (Sámi), Skolt Saami (Saame), North Saami (Saami), Lule Saami (Lule), Southern Sami, and Chuvash. There are also several other recognised minority languages spoken. These include Bashkir, Tatar, Yakut, French, Hebrew, German, Norwegian, Swedish, Enets, Latvian, Yukaghir, and the last-known speakers of the Enets languages, Vod, Liv, Ume and Pite Sami, and Ingrian. In fact, Bashkir, Tatar, Swedish, and Norwegian have official status in specific counties. There are almost no monoglots in Uralica, with 99.96% (as of 1 November 2009) of the population speaking at least three languages (usually Finnish, English or Russian, and another Tribal language), and an impressive 84.01% of the population speaking at least four languages. The most common language pairing among the small number of bilinguals was Russian and Komi, while the even smaller number of monoglots all falls above the age of 65, of whom all are speakers of smaller languages such as Nganasan and Selkup. The number of people speaking all three major commercial languages of Uralica is very high - 85.73% - and most people who do not speak all three do not speak English. The most-spoken language is, surprisingly, Finnish, spoken by 99.81% of the population even though ethnic Russians outnumber ethnic Finns. Only 88.93% of the population speaks English, with 96.09% speaking Russian. Another interesting development in Uralica is that all languages are put to both Cyrillic and Latin alphabets by default. This has made reading some languages rather interesting! Article: Languages of Uralica Religion Although the ideals of Christianity are the basis of the nation, there are also a number of practicing Jews (mainly Russian with the odd number of Finns, Hungarians, and Estonians) who comprise roughly 2.5% of the population (roughly 1 in 40). These Jews are often credited with keeping the infrastructure running as they observe Sabbath from Friday night to Saturday night and work on Sunday when the Christian majority observes a day of rest (with an exception noted below). One notable Uralican Jew is Russian Jew Dr. Ovdey Shlomov, one of the four Russian representatives on the Uralican Tribal Council (see below), who is one of Jarkko Salomäki's most trusted advisors in terms of educational matters. His nephew, Dinamo Kirov striker Khavkuk Shlomov, is probably Uralica's best-known footballer besides Salomäki himself. As for the Christian majority, it is quite diverse in its traditions. A number of formerly shamanistic peoples (the Samoyeds, Nenets, and Ob Ugric peoples for example) are now predominantly Uralican Evangelical Baptist, and KingJarkko actually commissioned the translations of the first full Bibles in their languages. The Russian Christians are Russian Orthodox for the most part with a minority of Uralican Evangelical Baptists. The European Finns, Saami, Karelians, and Estonians, originally Evangelical Lutherans, are predominantly Uralican Evangelical Baptist, although the Livonians, because of their close proximity to the Latvians and Lithuanians, are mostly Catholics (as are the Hungarians). The Mennonites are obviously Mennonites, however the similarity of the Uralican Evangelical Baptist movement to their tradition means many of them will attend those services. The North American Finns are quite varied, as are the Komis, Udmurts and "Volgaic Finns" (Mari, Mordvins). Uralican Evangelical Baptistism is known as the largest denomination in Christianity that has services on both Saturdays and Sundays. Many UEB churches in Uralica will have four services on any given weekend. The Cities The 20 largest cities and towns in Uralica are: #Yekaterinburg #Perm' #Izhevsk #Kirov #Nizhny Tagil #Syktyvkar #Cheboksary #Surgut #Cherepovets #Vologda #Saransk #Arkhangel'sk #Murmansk #Yoshkar-Ola #Berezniki #Nizhnevartovsk #Ukhta #Petroskoi #Juganvar #Solikamsk These are obviously not the only settlements in Uralica. See Articles: *List of cities in Uralica *List of towns in Uralica The Geography Coastline Uralica has a modest coastline along the Arctic Ocean, with the major seas being the Barents, Kara, and White Seas. Its largest seaport is the Combined Harbour, which sits in and between Arkhangel'sk and Severodvinsk, which sit on the southeastern tip of the White Sea. Naryan-Mar sits on the Barents Sea, however the ice in the area freezes over in the winter, making it unsuitable for year-round navigation. Until recently these were the only major seaports, but a last spurt of growth saw them obtain several other major ports. Murmansk, Sorokka (formerly Belomorsk), and Käddluhtt (formerly Kandalaksha) are access points to the Arctic Ocean, while Viipuri gives them access to the Baltic and North Seas, and by extension, the Atlantic Ocean. Rivers Uralica's longest river is the Ob' (Finn. Kolta), which lends its name to the Ob Ugric tribe and is an important source of transportation within Uralica and to other nations in the area, although it is quite distant from many of Uralica's largest cities. This said, the estuarine entrance is less favourable than others (most notably the Tivina) due to the fact that there is no current in the area to keep it thawed out in the winter. The largest city along the Ob and within Uralica is Surgut within Yugra. Its most major tributary, the Irtysh (Finn. Irtys), joins up with the Ob' near Yugrakar, which itself sits on the Irtysh. The Iset River is a tributary of the Tobol, a tributary of the Irtysh, and while the Tobol is not within Uralica nor does it meet the Irtysh in Uralica, the Iset runs through Yekaterinburg and Kamensk. On top of this, the Vychegda (Finn. Vikitta) River flows through Kotlas and also through the northern suburbs of Syktyvkar, while one of its tributaries, the Sysola (Finn. Sussola) River flows through the main city itself. The Tivina (Russ. Северная Двина, Engl. sometimes Northern Dvina, Trad. Finn. Vienä) River connects at Kotlas, which also connects to the Sukhona (Finn. Suhona) River, which flows through Isoustiuki and Sokol. The Tivina Delta is where Arkhangel'sk and Severodvinsk both lie, and is considered the most important estuarine entrance into Uralica. The Kama River flows through Uralica starting at the border of the old regions of Udmurtiya and Tatarstan, then circling north through Votkinsk Reservoir (Finn. Votkanjärvi, Russ. Воткинское водохранилище) and Kama Reservoir (Finn. Kamantekojärvi, Russ. Камское Водохранилище) between Perm' and Berezniki, and looping around towards Kainu before finally ending in the chernozem-rich plains north of Glazov. One of its tributaries starts within Tatarstan as well and makes its way north into Uralica by a different route. The Vyatka (Finn. Vijatka) River runs up past several minor centres and through Kirov, and it is important in the sense that it gives Uralica a point of trade with several nations to its south as the Vyatka eventually meets up with the Volga River (via the Kama River) and flows into the Caspian Sea. A tributary of the Vyatka, the Cheptsa (Finn. Keppetta) River flows from Kirovo-Chepetsk east to Glazov, with its most navigable stretch ending at Balezino. The Izhma (Finn. Issimaa) River (which flows through Ukhta) connects to the Pechora (Finn. Pettora) River in the north. Intense pollution of the Pechora once made navigability of this river a bit trying at times, so it was seldom used for long-range navigation. However, a vastly expensive cleanup effort and the installation of waste-water treatment plants along the Pechora lessened this dramatically, and the Pechora River System (which ends at Naryan-Mar) is now among the most heavily-used river systems in Uralica. Uralica also possesses two stretches of the Volga River. The main one runs from Yulser-Ola on the border with the historical region of Tatarstan, past Cheboksary and Tsykmä before leaving Uralican borders. After that, in the form of Rybinskoye Reservoir, it pokes northwards into West Uralica, with a tributary, the Sheksna (Finn. Seksina) River, flowing southward past Cherepovets and Sheksna from its source, White Lake, into the reservoir. Both stretches are important as they provide a route of transportation into various important Old Russian cities, such as Nizhny Novgorod, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Tver, and, via a tributary of a tributary, Moscow. There is also the lesser known Mezen' (Finn. Messeni) River in the north-east. There was a plan to establish a small harbour at its mouth once Uralica's borders reached that far, however the fact that the small bay the village of Mezen' sits on would freeze up during the winter put a kibosh on this. Lakes Uralica's two largest lakes are both shared with other nations, although they lay claim to the vast majority of both. Lake Ladoga (Russ. Ладожское озеро or Ладога, Finn. Laatokkajärvi), Europe's largest lake, is 90% Uralican, and Lake Onega (Russ. Онежское озеро or Онего, Finn. Äänisjärvi), Europe's second-largest lake, is 95% Uralican, with only a small portion of the southwestern coast outside of the nation's border. There are two major reservoirs that make a significant inroads into Uralica - the Kamskoye Reservoir, which is mainly within Permski Rayon, and the Rybinskoye Reservoir, whose northern tip comes close to Cherepovets. The largest natural lake entirely within Uralica's borders, though, is White Lake (Russ. Белое озеро, Finn. Valkojärvi), which is within West Uralica. Topography The area of Uralica in general is relatively flat and low (although the Ural Mountains run up through the east-centre of the nation), making it ideal for growing crops in the fertile chernozem soils of the southwest. The northeast has poorer soil for crops and is mainly comprised of boreal forests and pastures. However, this area is very mineral-rich and has been exploited for marble, iron, silver, and various non-metallic minerals. Its lowest point is at sea level, while its highest point is at 1,894 metres (6,214 ft), which is also the highest point in the Ural Mountains. Political Geography Unlike many nations, Uralica's land growth was capped. Shown below is the absolute maximum Uralica has allowed itself to take, which doesn't include many areas on conventional Robertian maps that some would say Uralica has claim to, notably the old regions of Kostroma and Novgorod Oblasts, and parts of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan, although in the case of Agryz District (formerly part of Tatarstan), they eventually took possession. Uralica attained cap size officially on 15 November 2009, although an extra parcel of land was added to the cap when Tatar politicians and the Uralican Tribal Council agreed to a deal concerning Agryz District, which neatened up the awkward border along Nizhnekamskoye Reservoir. Parks Although Uralica is known for being an advanced nation technologically, its people also have a certain environmental conscience, and as such, the number of national parks is quite high. The largest, and likely, the best-known, national park in Uralica is Virgin Komi Forests National Park, which runs along the western downslope of the Urals and contains the source of the Pechora and Usa Rivers. Still, there are around forty national parks in Uralica, not counting the national monuments and nature preserves. National Symbols *The Three Crosses (Finn. Kolme Ristea, Russ. Три Распятия) - the symbol of the nation's commitment to Jesus Christ. *National Flower - Cloudberry *National Bird - Eurasian Eagle Owl *National Animal - Eurasian Lynx See Also Holidays Of Uralica Uralican Alphabet Reforms Vorkuta Or Bust Saami Unified Orthography Politics in Uralica See Neo-Tribalism for a more thorough description. The Tribal Chief (Fin. Heimopäällikö, Rus. Племенной Начальник) The Tribal Chief is elected directly by all the people, who have a single vote, and there is no ethnic division in voting. The term, as agreed via plebiscite, is for life, which is the main reason for the "neo-tribal" term coined to describe Uralica's modern spin on an ancient form of government. The Tribal Council (Fin. Heimovaltuusto, Rus. Племенное Совещание) The Tribal Council is elected to aid the Chief in governing the nation according to the needs of the people and the principles of Christianity. In accordance with Jarkko Salomäki's original vision of "unity in diversity," each ethnicity, or "tribe," has fourteen members (after finally reaching this maximum number on 4 August 2008), for a grand total of 238 members. Often, the term "The Uralic Tribes" is used to refer to the people of Uralica collectively. (Fin. "Uralilainen Heimot," Rus. "Уралскые Племи") There are no fixed ministries as there are in conventional modern governments. Instead, if any particular Council member(s) have useful insights on a given situation, they can speak on it freely with the Chief, whether it be in-session or in-person outside the Council Chambers. The election schedule is monthly, except for the "Year-End Session" elected in November which runs from the beginning of December to the end of January. Noteworthy Councillors (Tribe in parentheses) *Vaido Kuik (Estonian) *Yevgeny Kolpakov (Mari) *Johan Kjærhus (Western Saami) *Lasse Mäkelä (Finnish) *Ovdey Shlomov (Udmurt) *Kari Fisk (Livonian) *Akhmetkhan Gubaidulin (Chuvash; formerly Russian) *Yuvan Shestopalov (Nenets) *Alexander Zyrianov (Komi) *Lt.-Gen. Kirill Zholtok (Russian) *Nikolay Shevchuk (Russian) *Jan Merk (Mennonite) *Rebeka Szigete (Hungarian) *Riita Perttunen (Karelian) *Jarno Laaksonen (Eastern Saami - Inari Saami is his first language) *Meri Vanhanen (Finnish) Tribal Boards Each of the 17 above-mentioned "Tribes" has a Tribal Board (Fin. Heimonjohtokunta, Rus. Племенное Руководство) which meets in various cities and towns (called Board Seats) to discuss the needs of the people of their particular "tribe." This group has fourteen members elected in a separate process plus a representative chosen from the Tribal Council members. Each Council member who is on their Board as well is expected to bring a report on any petitioners' requests, protests, and progress reports that have been brought before the board. The Board Seats are as follows: *Finnish Tribe - Kirov *Estonian Tribe - Vaahruše *Karelian Tribe - Petroskoi *Russian Tribe - Yekaterinburg *Livonian Tribe - Viipuri *Ob Ugric Tribe - Yugrakar *Komi Tribe - Ukhta *Mordvin Tribe - Saransk *Udmurt Tribe - Izhevsk *Mari Tribe - Yoshkar-Ola *East Saami Tribe - Murmansk *West Saami Tribe - Murmansk *Nenets Tribe - Naryan-Mar *Samoyedic Tribe - Salyakharad *Mennonite Tribe - Pazhga *Hungarian Tribe - Trakt *Chuvash Tribe - Cheboksary It is at this level that there is the most interaction between politicians and non-politicians. Petitioners are allowed, and in fact, encouraged, to bring any significant issue of culture, infrastructure, finance, education, environment, or resources (among other important issues) before the Board. As of 15 June 2008, the shortest petitioner session of any board was ten minutes, by a Mr. Yoni Tsyplakov of the Komi tribe, simply requesting funds to rebuild a power main that was severed during Ionizer's attack on Pazhga, which took place 29 March 2008. The longest was four hours by a group of Mordvins that had heard about CCC's attempts to make peace with Beilliran being stymied by a lack of co-operation. The results of this were brought to KingJarkko by Mordvin Council Member Marat Pavlov, and this led to the near-immediate deployment of the Udmurt 1st Battalion into the same nation on reconnaissance. Administrative Divisions Of Uralica Although each of the Uralic Tribes exist throughout Uralica, there are also first-order administrative divisions that have control over areas like maintenance of roads, rails, sidewalks, and other thoroughfares, fire departments, and community initiatives. Since Uralica has grown a fair bit, this was necessary to take some of the workload off of the Tribal Council. Uralica as it is currently sits within the following historical regions: *Komi Republic *Permsky Kray *Arkhangel'sk Oblast *Kirov Oblast *Udmurtiya *Nenetsia *Sverdlovsk Oblast *most of Vologda Oblast *small portions of Khantyia-Mansia and Yamalia Autonomous Okrugs Some maps would indicate that the historical Kostroma Oblast is within Uralica, but Jarkko Salomäki renounced all claims to that land in September of 2009. It should be noted that Uralica will add and redefine counties as it grows, up to the maximum allowed by governmental cap. Officially, there are 19 counties (Russ. Област, Finn. piirikunta) and 11 unitary authorities: Unitary Authorities *Syktyvkar *Perm' *Kirov *Solikamsk-Berezniki *Arkhangel'sk-Severodvinsk *Ukhta-Sosnogorsk *Izhevsk *Vologda *Greater Yekaterinburg *Cherepovets *Nizhny Tagil Counties *East Uralica (Serov) *Northeast Uralica (Vorkuta) *Kotlas (Kotlas) *Mennoland (Pazhga) *Kudymkar Circle (Kudymkar) *Udmurtiya North (Glazov) *Udmurtiya South (Sarapul) *Central Uralica (Öskölömi) *West Uralica (Isoustiuki) *Mari El (Yoshkar-Ola) *Permski Rayon (Krasnokamsk) *Pechora (Pechora) *Woodlands (Veliski) *Nenetsia-North Uralica (Naryan-Mar) *Northwest Uralica (Usovuori) *Komiland (Emva) *Kirovski Rayon (Kirovo-Chepetsk) *Southeast Uralica (Pervouralsk) *Chuvashia (Cheboksary) *Yugra (Yugrakar) *Yamalia (Salyakharad) *Mordoviya (Saransk) *Karelia (Petroskoi) *Sapmi (Murmansk) Transportation of Uralica Article: Transportation of Uralica Military in Uralica Although a Christian nation, Uralica isn't known as a nation to shy away from war, as long as it squares with the Christian principles of the nation as well as the TOOL Charter. This nation has been involved in several conflicts thus far while being ready to serve in all other operations. Article: War History of Uralica All of the Tribes' members between the ages of 17 and 60 are required to serve in the military, however not all are required to fight per se. Squaring with their pacifist beliefs, the Mennonite Tribe's members serve either within the Medical Corps or the Emergency Relief and Human Development Corps (ERHDC) which is primarily used to aid fellow TOOL nations or nations of TOOL allies (in other words, if the treaty is above the level of ) in post-war and post-disaster emergency situations. Uralica, being landlocked to date (save for a short time where they had a coast around Arkhangel'sk) lacks a navy, thus leaving five branches of the military. The Kunnianmitali is the highest military honour that can be bestowed upon anyone within Uralica, and is sometimes even awarded to foreign leaders for exemplary battle prowess and co-operation. Uralican Army (Finn. Uralikan Armeija, Russ. Ураликская Армия) The Uralican Army currently comprises 4600 troops of all tribes except Mennonite (for the above-mentioned pacifism reason) and this is grouped into 21 companies ranging from 200 to 250 troops each. Some are unitribal (for example the "Jarkko's Finns" Company) while others are divisions of tribes (the Komi and Permyak Companies, both within the Komi Tribe) and some are multi-tribal ("Bad Company," famous for its exploits against Amerzica, which is a combination of Nenets and Samoyeds). There is also a meritocratic element to the Uralican Army. Those soldiers that prove themselves the most in combat are taken out of their regular division and put into the elite Mindphaser Division. Uralican soldiers have a reputation as being unpredictable by the enemy and incredibly efficient in what they do. Of particular note is Nenets officer Lieutenant-General Kirill Zholtok, who commanded four of Uralica's most storied battles - the Ionic Midnight Surprise in the Ionized-Jelly War, and the Battle of Roponz, Samoyed Raid, and Battle of Cerrito in "A Tale of Two Ghosts." There are no abbreviations of the name. Uralican Air Force (UAF) (Finn. Uralikan Ilmavoima (UIV), Russ. Ураликская Βоенновоздушная Сила (UVS/УВС)) From the beginning of Uralica's military operations, Jarkko Salomäki has always advocated strong air power, and it's shown in every campaign Uralica has been involved in. Many of Uralica's most decorated military men and women are in the Air Force. None more so, though, than Estonian bomb-dropper Kaido Ojastu, who has served in every war Uralica has been involved in and decorated for valour every time. He would become the tenth recipient of the Kunnianmitali after the War of the Coalition. The Uralican air force, while small, is feared tremendously. Nothing served to amplify this fear better than the Kirov Massacre of 11 May 2008, in which 11 aircraft (10 bombers, 1 fighter) were sent into Uralica in a desperate time-buying counterattack by Amerzica, and the fighter was the only aircraft to return. Since then, the Heifong Blitz and several other air operations have cemented the UAF as Uralica's most feared branch of military. Surprisingly, the launching of cruise missiles is also under the jurisdiction of the Air Force. Uralican Intelligence Agency (UVV) (Finn. Uralikan Vakoilunvirasto (UVV), Russ. Ураликское Агентство Сведении (UAS/УАС)) If Uralica needs to assess threats to its security, these guys are usually the first to be called in, and their campaigns are usually unnoticed until the damage has already been done. Espionage and reconnaissance are the main functions of this branch, however they aren't the only functions. Certain members also serve as links for information between Uralica, other TOOL nations, and any allies during times of war. It should be noted that the UVV is the only branch to use its Finnish abbreviation in English as well as Finnish. Uralican Medical Corps (UMC) (Finn. Uralikan Lääketieteellinen Joukko (ULJ), Russ. Ураликский Медицинский Корпус (UMK/УМК)) These men and women are not counted in the ranks of normal soldiers, but are still considered a part (and a vital one at that) of the military. They have separate honours for outstanding work in the field of military medicine, and outside of war work as doctors, nurses, and surgeons for civilians. Emergency Relief and Human Development Corps (ERHDC) (Finn. Hätänavustus- ja Ihmiskehittyminenjoukko, often shortened to "HAIKJou"; Russ. Помощя-Человеческого Развития Корпус, often shortened to ПЧРК) Who says Uralicans know nothing of compassion? Expressing the love of Christ through the short-term rebuilding of war-torn nations as well as long-term projects such as well-digging, provision of proper sanitation, and educational schemes are the callings of this group. It may seem odd to have such a non-military group within the military, however these guys are at the beckon call of TOOL's Department of War to help rebuild TOOL nations that have suffered attack. Depending on the level of damage done, the operations can be quite extensive. All monetary and technological aid provided by Uralica to other nations goes through this branch. Uralica within its alliances Although Uralica's contributions to its alliance have been primarily military, Uralica is also an outspoken part of the internal security process, that tends to act as a voice of concern towards possible violations of the Charter. Uralicans have a tendency to keep an eye on events within the CCC and TOOL closer than the people of most of that alliance's nations, and when something big happens, the number of petitioners sometimes overwhelms the Tribal Boards! Furthermore, the Tribes have garnered a reputation as a nation who has made an art of reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering. This was most evident during the eventually successful Nordic Ghost Conflict. KingJarkko was nominated for the post of Minister of Security in the April quarterly elections, however declined, stating he preferred to remain on the sidelines for the time being. More recently though, he was made Grand Master of the Knights Templar order. The Chief had a reputation for his stern nature in battle, but also for his eagerness to help in any situation regarding the security of the Coalition, a reputation that, according to some CCCers who have been to Uralica, extended to his people as well. This reputation did not go by the wayside when its ruler re-emerged as Jarkko Salomäki in The Order of Light. Although his aptitude for diplomacy had him working vigorously as part of the Foreign Affairs Department, his people did not lose their edge by any means, and nor did he. Since re-convening, Uralica has served TOOL with distinction as a force dedicated to policing the lower-NS ranks of that alliance, and even once stuck its proverbial neck out to aid CCC nation Les Paul Supreme in what Uralica would call Operation: Guardian Angel. This commitment to security of its alliance has earned Uralica plaudits from TOOL as well, not the least of which was its ruler's appointment as Inquisitor, a position he held for just shy of a year before declaring his retirement. Military is not the only area in which Uralica is known. Jarkko Salomäki is also known as someone who knows his way around diplomacy, and this is also true of several of his Council members. Uralica's first well-known diplomatic role was as ambassador nation from CCC to TOOL. Since then, they have served as ambassadors to 3 other alliances from CCC and a further eleven from TOOL (including CCC, making Uralica the first nation to serve in both directions and one of only a few nations to serve as an ambassador both to and from CCC, and to and from TOOL.) Uralica had once taken on the role of bringing nations together in trade arrangements. This initiative was largely run by Bolak Corp.'s staff, but was ended after a short period of time as military considerations took precedent. Still, Uralica does still have one official role within TOOL - to send emergency aid to those TOOLies needing it. Sport In Uralica Although a young nation, Uralica already has many sporting opportunities, and has already developed some world-class talent despite the small size of the nation. Soccer is particularly popular, as is ice hockey. Ice Hockey Ice Hockey was the first sport in Uralica to officially be declared professional, in mid-April. Despite the fact that it was spring in Uralica, the hockey season kicked off immediately. The Uralican Ice Hockey League (Finn. Uralikan Jääkiekkoliiga, Russ. Ураликская Хоккей-Лига) has ten teams that currently compete in a quadruple round-robin tournament. See article: Uralican Ice Hockey League The most notable Uralican ice hockey player is the so-called "Mari Gretzky," forward Matvey Kolpakov, who in the first quarter of the season (9 games) already has 12 goals and 11 assists. There are other talented hockey players from Uralica as well. Finn forward Marko Suominen, Udmurt forward Lazar Fedorov, Mennonite forward Kurtis Schaeffer, Estonian defender Vaino Lepp, Livonian defender Andi Kosk, and Mari goaltender Vasily Golubayev are among the best. See article: Uralican National Men's ice hockey team Soccer (Football) Despite being a relatively frigid nation, Uralica's most popular sport is soccer (football). KingJarkko himself is a left-back on one of the more popular teams, Sikkivukarin Palloseura (SiPS), and also captains the Uralican men's national football team. The Football League itself was founded 30 May 2008 but isn't set to begin play until 18 March 2009. Still, the League's teams have kept their skills honed by playing friendly matches against a variety of clubs from the CCC and other friendly alliances, most notably the New Polar Order and the Greenland Republic. Also, one team, Sikkivukarin Palloseura, has competed in Liga Mundo. Upon the league's foundation, 36 teams entered three divisions, best known by their Finnish designations - the Bolakliiga, the Ykkönen, and the Kakkonen. Currently, however, the league has 656 teams, of which around 630 are independent clubs. The leagues were restructured and expanded, and two new leagues were added - the Kolmonen and Nelonen. The League is controlled by the Uralikan Palloliitto. See article: Uralikan Jalkapalloliiga See article: Uralican men's national football team Team Handball Another sport that has a surpisingly strong following in Uralica is team handball, which is played indoors. Fast-paced and exciting but not particularly well-known, it is Uralica's official indoor sport, governed by the Uralikan Käsipalloliitto (UKPL). There are recreational handball clubs all over Uralica, but there also exists a 16-team professional Uralican Handball League. Other Sports Although the above three are the most popular sports in Uralica, they are by no means the only sports played in Uralica. Most major team sports have a following in some part of Uralica. The fourth-most popular sport in Uralica is basketball, which has at least a semi-professional team in every major Uralican centre. Jarkko Salomäki, being 6'7", has been known to play in the odd amateur basketball game, although his commitment to professional football (soccer) prevents him from serious commitment to basketball. Rugby union, rugby sevens, indoor volleyball, and floor hockey are also popular. Baseball and softball are played in the south of the nation during the summer. Bandy, a sport best described as a cross between ice hockey and soccer, is popular in the northern part of the nation. In 2010, leagues will debut in basketball, rugby sevens, and bandy. Article: Uralican Basketball League Article: Uralikskaya Bandy-Federatsiya Article: Uralican Rugby Sevens Association As for individual sports, the most popular ones in Uralica are tennis (indoor during the winter) and cross-country skiing, given the flatness of the Uralican terrain. Jarkko Salomäki is an accomplished biathlete, and there are numerous solid cross-country skiers, speed skaters, and surprisingly, ski-jumpers, in Uralica. One non-Olympic sport that is really popular in the north and centre of the nation is dog-sled racing. In 2010, Uralica will begin a domestic Nordic skiing competition series, in which each varying Olympic discipline of cross-country skiing will be contested. Article: Uralican Nordic Skiing Championships Uralica fields a full team to Winter Olympic-style competitions, with alpine skiing and snowboarding at one point being the only areas really lacking representation given the fundamental lack of facilities for those sports, although the annexation of the Ural Mountains changed this almost overnight, with the main training facilities being at Narodnaya Skiplex, near Lapyt-Nank, Yamalia. Uralican participation in summer individual sports is slightly sparser, but still draws some plaudits. Uralican tennis players have always been respected for their skill, and they also have fairly solid badminton and squash players as well. Athletics-wise, their strong suit is long-distance running. Whether this comes from the tradition of having Uralican troops run a single lap around Syktyvkar is being debated. Combat sports are a strong suit of Uralicans in summer participation. Uralicans rank in the top five in every martial art in TOOL, including ranking first in freestyle and Muay Thai kickboxing, and taekwondo. They also have an exceptional shooting team. Uralican men are generally weak in the pool, but the women are fairly solid. Gymnastics is near-nonexistent in Uralica. Uralica has a surprisingly good road-cycling team with many Uralicans mountain-training in various mountain ranges outside of Uralica during the year, but their real strong point in cycling is in the velodrome, where they are feared for their skill. Media in Uralica Despite its small size, Uralica already has various media outlets. Uralica has a national daily newspaper, The Uralican Daily News. It is in print in all thirty-one of Uralica's official languages. It also has various city and town newspapers. The major cities and urban areas (Perm', Kirov, Syktyvkar, Ukhta, Glazov, and Berezniki-Solikamsk) tend to have news in print in all 31 of Uralica's official languages, while smaller cities and towns will have news in print in English, Russian, Finnish, and the most prevalent one or two local languages. For example, in Trakt, there is new in print in English, Russian, Finnish, and Hungarian. In Pechora, it is in English, Finnish, Russian, Komi (Zyrian), Nenets, Selkup, and Nganasan. There are also several television stations, primarily based in the major cities and urban areas. Although the dominant number of networks are in the three most-spoken languages in Uralica (English, Finnish, and Russian) there are also two stations exclusively in Komi dialects (based in Syktyvkar and Perm'), one Udmurt station (in Glazov), one Nenets station (in Ukhta), and various channels offering programming in multiple languages. Every town with more than 500 people is, by law, required to have at least one radio station. At the height of Uralica's progress, Perm' had no fewer than twenty. Culture of Uralica Uralica, with its various ethnicities and languages coming together under a unified banner, has a wonderfully rich culture rife with blending of various traditions together to make something new and interesting. There is no greater example of this than in music, where "ethnic jam bands" are commonplace, and one can hear a Russian balalaika, a Finnish kantele, and other traditional and mainstream instruments coming together to make something that sounds distinctly Uralican... and sounds good to boot. Architecture is quite modern on the larger scale, however older Russian and Gothic architecture is often seen in the major cities as well. One very noteworthy example of architectural diversity in Uralica, though, is the Uralic Cultural Centre in Syktyvkar. Currently, stage tends to be more prominent than film in Uralica, but the nation has still produced some noteworthy film stars such as Zuzana Golubovskaya, Pentti Korhonen, Rutger Holman, and Aleksandra Khrunova. In particular, the Uralican Jewish culture has made a major impact on stage production in the area, with numerous comedic plays being penned and released (along with a few tragedies and the odd history) every year. The Shakespearean tradition is hardly overlooked in Uralica. The aforementioned Holman got his start in a production of Hamlet, while Khrunova has the nickname of "The Saami Siren" by playing numerous female characters, including Viola, Lady MacBeth, and Juliet. Music is a permeating force like no other in Uralica (besides religion). According to a recent census, 100% of Uralican households owned at least three musical instruments. The professional music scene in Uralica is almost as profitable as tourism, making it the third-most important aspect of the Uralican economy, behind tourism and mining. Uralican Classical Tradition The Uralican classical tradition shuns pure atonalism as emotion-deprived, and is more in favour of Neo-Classical and Post-Romantic style. One of the great "master women" of Robertian-era classical music is neo-classicist Sirkka Numminen, whose pieces Ylistä Kristukset, Kotimani Uralikka (a tone-poem), and Aro ("Tundra") have earned her worldwide renown. Ruslan Kamyshin and Martin Kosk are the best-known Post-Romantics from Uralica, having penned hundreds of pieces - Kamyshin is more an orchestral specialist while Kosk focusses on the piano à la Claude Débussy. A third form of classical music has also emerged to the forefront - Symphonic Electronica. Jarkko Salomäki and Jyrki Koistinen are the best-known subscribers to this genre of music, with Salomäki's 27-part Elämäni Musiikissa symphony (under the handle of DC76) and Koistinen's tone poem Freedom being the most celebrated works in this regard. Uralican classical music is highly sought-after in the Robertian classical music community, whether it simply be performances of the great masters in the Filharmonia by any of Uralica's registered full symphony orchestras (see below), or original works by some of Uralica's up-and-coming composers, of which even their own ruler is one. See also: List of symphony orchestras in Uralica Uralican Mainstream Music Uralica also has a thriving mainstream music scene. There are a great many rock and metal bands that come out of Uralica, but none can compare to the success of Christian metal act Pelastus. The Ukhta-based band combines elements of death metal, thrash, and cyber-metal to convey a message of hope even in the face of crushing despair. They are far and away the highest-selling Christian band on Planet Bob, and certainly Uralica's most popular musical act. There are also a few other high-selling Uralican rock/metal acts. Jarkko Salomäki himself is in one of these, industrial/metal sextet Digitoxicosis, which is based in Syktyvkar and is not afraid to delve into any form of industrial music, with or without guitars. There is also Kirov-based Cold Steel, who are more strictly thrash. Most popular "non-metal" rock bands in Uralica subscribe to the more visceral, emotional Post-Grunge movement, both Christian (End of Sorrows, The Myllyjärvi Family) and non-Christian (The Slashers, Konduktor, The Lynxes). There is also one particularly popular "old-school punk" band called Cranked, who has gained a sizable cult following throughout Planet Bob's underground rock scene. Aside from rock, there is also a booming electronic music scene. The TranceAddicts Club in Kirov is often referred to as "the crucible of Uralican electronica" because of the number of acts that get their start there, and because of the club's policy of always including a certain percentage of new music every night. And as its name implies, a great deal of trance music has been spawned in this club. Probably the best-known act is Ruslan Tikhonov, a Mari psy-trance artist, but there are also hard trance acts such as Ashford Road, Sointula (Jarkko Salomäki and Jeffrey Laukkanen, two Sointula Finns), and Kari Ojala, dark trance acts such as Nikolay Shevchuk and Rutger Guussen, and popular vocal trance group Krystallite. Ambient music is also popular. Besides the aforementioned symphonic electronica, there are also dark ambient and ambient pop projects, such as Tundra Sounds (another Salomäki project, this time with Marko Lehtonen), Ethereal Vortex, and Kven virtuoso Mika Ukkonen. Finally, there is much in the way of industrial music in Uralica, predominantly EBM but also expanding into the range of industrial metal, industrial techno, and even martial industrial. The best-known purely industrial (that is, not including guitars except via sampling) is Enemy's Enemy, a Jewish EBM group from Syktyvkar. Bane of the Machine and Blacklight Theory are also EBM. Digital Exorcism is a pioneering Christian martial industrial group from Kotlas, while Sonic Terrorist Network is a grating industrial techno act from Kirov. Most urban music listening in Uralica is from abroad, and it is predominantly "Ol' School R&B," according to Uralic Music Today magazine's survey of Uralicans' musical preferences. There are a few local hip-hop groups, but none of these have had much success outside of Uralica. (Granted, The Bashkir Bwoyz and Urban Evangelists are popular in Uralica.) List of Record Labels In Uralica (type of music and location of main studios in parentheses) *Life To The Fullest Records (Christian music, Syktyvkar, Ukhta, Nizhny Tagil) **Top acts: Pelastus, The Myllyjärvi Family, End of Sorrows, Rutger Guussen, Kari Ojala, Digital Exorcism *Bolak Records (secular music, Syktyvkar, Yekaterinburg, Ukhta, Surgut, Vologda) **Top acts: Digitoxicosis, Cold Steel, The Slashers, Konduktor, Krystallite *Detonate Hate Records (Christian/secular music, Kirov, Syktyvkar, Izhevsk) **Top acts: Bane of the Machine, Cranked, Soulcleanser, Ethereal Vortex, Halogen *Davydov Tunes (secular music, Yekaterinburg) **Top acts: Sonic Terrorist Network, The Bashkir Bwoyz, The Flailers, Edgewalkers, Tinfoil For Brains *TranceAddict Records (Christian/secular music, Kirov) **Top acts: Ashford Road, Sointula, Nikolay Shevchuk, Krystallite, Pure Orange *Hardline Records (secular music, Cheboksary, Yekaterinburg, Arkhangel'sk) **Top acts: Mika Ukkonen, Transport Seven, The Memorial Trust, Urban Evangelists, Bring It *Explosion Records (formerly Detonator Records, secular music, Perm', Berezniki, Nizhny Tagil, Yugrakar, Emva) **Top acts: The Lynxes, Blacklight Theory, Mowdown, Severance, Precipice Economy of Uralica Uralica is blessed with a multitude of natural resources, although many of them are kept within Uralica, notably the wheat trade, which halted exporting upon the disappearance of KingJarkko (as he was then known) on 19 September 2008. The fertile chernozem soils of the southeast lend themselves well to grain-growing, and wheat, oats, and barley are grown for domestic consumption. There is also some cattle and dairy farming. The main exports of Uralica, on the other hand, are primarily gleaned via mining. Uralica once had a booming marble trade, but even after the expiration of the Ural Marble Belt, they found even more abundant sources of iron, and to a lesser extent silver, beneath this. Beyond this, Uralica is one of TOOL's (and Planet Bob's) leading producers of non-metallic raw materials, which include quartz, mica, and ingredients necessary for concrete, among many other things. Because of its diverse yet unified culture reflected in architecture, music, art, dance, and writing, tourism is also a major part of Uralica, and several tourist-friendly cities are within the nation, most notably Syktyvkar, Berezniki, and Kirov. Uralica has a thriving music industry, with outside investment in classical, Christian, and mainstream secular music causing a boom in Uralican record sales in the entire region. Finally, cleanup of the rivers that flow into the nation (mainly the Pechora but also the Sysola, Mezen', and other minor rivers) has provided Uralica with a decently reliable source of drinking water. The largest corporation in Uralica is Bolak Corp., which is first and foremost a mining company, but also deals in construction, manufacturing of industrial consumer goods, and even the sponsorship of various sporting schemes (most notably the Bolakliiga). Other large companies include Uralica's leading financial firm, the Uralikan Ykköspankki (First Bank of Uralica), hi-tech conglomerate UralTek, sporting goods producer Christian Sport, another mining company, Gornyak Uralica, and UralikaMash, a producer of construction equipment. With the annexation of Cherepovets, NeoSeverstal has risen as a major power in mining and steel-making. Recently, Uralica has developed a rapidly-growing stock market, with one major stock exchange, the Ural Mountains Stock Exchange in Yekaterinburg, and several smaller exchanges having been built. Uralica is a member of the Syktyvkar Free Trade Agreement with the nations of DDollazDlux, Kohona, Tantech Arcadia, Creek Nation, and the Aethiopian Empire (the last of which is a FEAR member). Education in Uralica The people of Uralica have a tendency to take education very seriously. To this end, the Uralican school system is 14 years - Kindergarten through Grade 13 - and they boast Planet Bob's most prestigious Christian university, Uralikan Yliopisto, which offers a broad range of courses and programs, but is also known for the fact that its programs run year-round. Much of the nation's education is based on the educational system of Old British Columbia, however much of it has been adapted by Dr. Ovdey Shlomov as well as Jarkko Salomäki. See also: Education System Of Uralica See also: Higher Education In Uralica Important events in Uralica's history Main Article: Important events in Uralica's history OOC Notes *In RPing city/county/UA population, I use CNRP rules - in-game X 1000. KingJarkko 01:53, October 12, 2009 (UTC) Category:Uralica Category:English-speaking nations Category:Christian nations